Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU volleyball team continued a four-match homestand at the UPMC Events Center Saturday, falling to Oakland, 3-0. The Colonials slipped to 7-7 (.500) overall during the 2021 campaign, including 0-2 in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Golden Grizzlies provided a balanced attack on offense Saturday, as three different student-athletes registered double digits in kills. Oakland registered a .517 attack percentage in the first set and hit .500 in the second en route to compiling an overall hitting percentage of .343 in the triumph. Jamie Walling and Patti Cesarini each finished with a match-high 12 kills to pace the Golden Grizzlies, while Jessica Riedl posted 11 kills and just two errors in 18 total chances.
EARLY ON
The Colonials couldn't seem to grab any traction in the opening set, falling behind, 7-3, after a kill from Walling. RMU was able to tie it, 17-17, as junior
Allena Carmody provided a service ace and Brittany Welch was forced into an attack error. Walling settled the ship for Oakland, providing consecutive kills that gave the Golden Grizzlies a 19-17 edge as part of an 8-2 run to close the first set.
TWO, THREE
Oakland (8-5 / 2-0 #HLVB) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-13 win in the second set and was in control midway through the third before RMU used a 10-3 spurt to turn a 12-9 deficit into a 19-15 lead. Sophomore
Abby Ryan finished with four kills during the surge. Graduate student
Emma Granger pushed the advantage for the Colonials to 21-16 with a service ace, but Oakland steadied, getting back-to-back kills from Cesarini to jump in front, 22-21, before Kennedy Dolmage posted a service ace. Cesarini added another kill to make it 24-21 as Oakland took advantage of the run to grab a straight set win.
THREE'S COMPANY
RMU has played five consecutive matches that have gone just three sets. In the first nine tilts of the 2021 season, the Colonials played the minimum sets just twice, earning 3-0 triumphs over Manhattan and @ Fairleigh Dickinson August 28. Overall on the 2021 season RMU owns a record of 3-4 (.429) in matches that go three sets.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Ryan paced the Colonials with 10 kills, while senior
Alyssa Hudak finished with six kills and a .263 attack percentage. RMU posted a .112 hitting percentage against the Golden Grizzlies, finishing with 15 errors in 107 attempts with 27 kills.
UP NEXT
RMU continues its four-match homestand with a pair next weekend at the UPMC Events Center. The Colonials welcome Purdue Fort Wayne Friday, Oct. 1, for a 6:00 p.m. first serve before hosting IUPUI Saturday, Oct. 2, at 4:00 p.m.
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